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BLAME THE BEIGNETS is the ninth book in the Deputy Donut Mysteries by Ginger Bolton. This newest release finds the protagonist, Emily, happily married to Brett, settling in to her new life. They love the outdoors, kayaking and hiking around Brett’s lakeside home, and I liked how this set the theme for the mystery. The author brings the forests, trails, and lake setting to life with vivid descriptions. And while I may be a city girl, she made it so idyllic it made me want to explore the great Wisconsin outdoors myself. Emily also owns and runs Deputy Donuts alongside her former father-in-law. I just adore their sweet relationship, as well as how Emily interacts with both her employees and her customers. She’s one of those people you’d love to call a friend and spend time with. Of course, I can’t forget to mention the mascot of the shop Deputy Donut—Dep for short—the cat! He has quite the personality and steals each scene he inhabits… which sets the stage for the opening chapters, which contain quite the kerfuffle when Dep and Gigi, the wedding gown wearing dog, collide.
The author has written an entertaining story that’s packed full of intertwining plot threads. Clues are sprinkled about and there are plenty of suspects surrounding the murder of an unscrupulous man, to keep the reader guessing. When Emily’s young employee, Hannah, gets caught up in the investigation, and becomes a suspect, Emily feels the need to ask questions. Except Hannah seems to be hiding something, which only makes her appear guiltier. Hannah’s overbearing older sister isn’t making the investigation any easier either. Emily’s quest takes her out onto the waters of the lake (I love how Dep enjoys kayaking almost as much as she does), and on the paths of the forest, following a trail of pumpkin spice beignets, one of Deputy Donuts’ specialties. I couldn’t help but worry about their safety, but Emily is a seasoned amateur sleuth and knows how to conduct herself. In the end, all the subplots came together perfectly, with a sweet ending to a delicious cozy mystery!
Be prepared to drool over the scrumptious mentions of donuts and other treats! The author has thoughtfully included some recipes at the back of the book for the home cook to try. With beignets holding a starring role in the story, I just had to try the Blameless Pumpkin Spice Swirl Beignets. With the addition of a generous amount of pumpkin spice, these are definitely not short on flavor or enjoyment despite skim milk and only a small amount of butter has been used, making these a bit lower cal than typical beignets. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve had beignets and these brought back some wonderful memories of New Orleans, and I was delighted at how easy they were to make. These are a great choice for a Saturday morning breakfast treat (the author includes instructions on how to make the dough ahead of time) or an afternoon coffee break!
Amazon Synopsis
With mouthwatering treats selling fast in October, Emily is delighted to welcome her assistant’s younger sister, Hannah, to help at the donut shop while taking a semester off from college. But Hannah’s talent for dishing powdered pastries without dropping a crumb attracts some unusual customers, as two admirers with opposite personalities begin to show up during her shifts—much to her older sister’s disappointment . . .
Real trouble comes afterhours in the dark forest surrounding Emily’s lakeside house. Emily follows a trail of her freshly-made beignets—just like those purchased by the two admirers—to a dead body. And while the victim may have burned a few bridges, there’s no way to sugarcoat the discovery of Hannah’s hairclip at the crime scene. Now, as suspicions fall on her own employee and unsavory rumors swirl around town, it will take far more than a sprinkle of good luck for Emily to learn the truth and expose a killer with a very deadly craving . . .
A special thanks to Kensington Publishing for offering a print arc copy of BLAME THE BEIGNETS to one lucky winner! Contest ends December 1, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1/8 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons fast-acting (instant) yeast
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 egg (large or medium), beaten
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon your choice vanilla, calvados, brandy, rum, or bourbon extract (optional)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice (purchased or mix your own)
- Vegetable oil with a smoke point of 400 degrees (F) or higher (or follow your deep fryer's instruction manual)
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Grease a medium bowl thoroughly and set aside.
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Warm the milk to 115 degrees (F) and place in your large mixer bowl if you're using an electric mixer, or a large mixing bowl if you're mixing by hand.
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Add the sugar and yeast. When the mixture bubbles (be patient--this can take up to 15 minutes), add the egg, salt, and flavoring extract if using. Add one third of the flour. Mix by hand or with your mixer until the flour is incorporated. Similarly, add the next 1/3 and then the last one 3rd of the flour. Mix until the dough is smooth.
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Tightly covered the dough with a damp cloth and then plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise and puff up--an hour or two, depending on the warmth of the room.
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Coat your hands with flour. Lightly squish the dough into a ball and place it in the greased bowl you have prepared. Move the dough ball around to grease its outside. Again, cover the bowl tightly with a damp cloth and then a layer of plastic wrap.
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Allow the dough to rise again for 1 to 2 hours in a warm place.
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You can refrigerate the dough for as much as 48 hours. Remove it from the refrigerator an hour before forming.
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When you're ready to form the beignets, coat your hands with flour and lightly knead the pumpkin pie spice into the dough, not uniformly. You want to end up with swirls of spice. Don't overwork the dough.
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On a lightly floured pastry cloth, roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thick. If the dough has toughened too much to roll it thinly, cover it with a damp cloth and leave it alone for about 10 minutes to allow the dough to loosen, and then roll it to 1/4-inch thick. Cut in strips about 2 inches wide, and cut the strips into approximate squares. Some of them will end up as triangles, and that's fine. Cover the uncooked beignets with the damp cloth and allow them to rest while you heat the oil.
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Pour 1 to 2 inches of oil into a deep, cast-iron skillet set on your stovetop. For safety's sake, put a lid that fits on the skillet nearby in case the oil overheats and flames up--this should not happen, but if it does, extinguish the fire with the lid. Set the burner's heat to medium and slowly heat the oil to 350 degrees (F). Again, be patient.
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Or you can use a deep fryer, following the manufacturer's suggestions.
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Using a spatula, gently slip the pieces of dough into the hot oil, being careful not to splash. Fry in small batches. Do not overcrowd, and keep an eye on the temperature of the oil, adjusting the heat as necessary. Fry for about 1-1/2 minutes until golden brown, turn with tongs, and fry an additional 1-1/2 mintues.
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Lift with tongs and drain on paper towels.
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While the beignets are warm, press powdered sugar through a sieve onto them or shake them with powdered sugar in a clean paper bag. Some of the sugar will soak into the warm beignets. If you like, you can add more as it cools. If possible, serve the beignets while they're warm.
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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
